Home » Flying electric vehicle ‘straight out of Star Wars’ reaches 65mph as it soars higher than the Statue of Liberty

Flying electric vehicle ‘straight out of Star Wars’ reaches 65mph as it soars higher than the Statue of Liberty

by Marko Florentino
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It looks like something straight out of Star Wars.

But this new electric flying vehicle is the latest in a line of aerodynamic EVs set to take over the skies over the next decade.

The stylish $300,000 Manta M4 offers space for one passenger and takes off from land and sea, but can only land in water.

The Manta M4 travels up to 65 miles per hour and weighs as much as a small jet ski.

The vehicle is steered using a joystick, allowing riders to soar up to 500 feet above the ground — about the height of two Statue of Liberty, or half the height of the Empire State Building.

Riders are protected by a glass hood, which will protect against wind speed and keep users safe from the craft’s three propellers. 

The craft gets 30 minutes of power with an electric battery or three hours using one of its hydrogen fuel cells.

Revealed at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Nevada, founder David Simchon told DailyMail.com how his vehicle would surely be the next pleasure craft of the skies.

Only a model of the vehicle was shown, but the company, called SimTechLabs, says the full product will be unveiled at a boat show in Florida next month when it hits the market for the first time.

Pictured above is a model of the Manta M4, which will debut at a boat show in Florida next month

Pictured above is a model of the Manta M4, which will debut at a boat show in Florida next month

The device uses three propellers to take off from land or water, and can fly at 65mph for up to 30 minutes using its electric battery

The device uses three propellers to take off from land or water, and can fly at 65mph for up to 30 minutes using its electric battery

Simchon said that users will not need a license due to the craft’s lightweight design that is at under 300lbs, meaning it is considered ultra-light, a point where the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) does not require users to have a license.

However, owners without a pilot’s license will have to follow the FAA’s regulations and airspace restrictions.

Manta M4 has a thermal onboard system to detect and warn of birds and other dangers in the air and a system emitting ultrasonic sounds to scare away sharks that may be lurking in the water beneath.

The base features a 360-degree camera, allowing riders to capture breathtaking views of the world below while they fly — or check the water below for any signs of rocks or sharks.

It also features eight ultrasonic sensors, 16 sonar disruptions sensors and four thermal cameras to capture scenes of its surroundings and avoid oncoming obstacles. 

In a worst-case scenario of the craft losing power, it has three parachutes that will deploy to ensure a safe landing.

It is the second craft to be launched by SimTech labs after it launched a flying aircraft called the Icarus Project in 2024.

Flying aircraft and taxis — some autonomously operated — are expected to be routinely whizzing around US skies within the next few years, according to the FAA.

And it’s the same in the UK, where the Government says it expects them to be ‘routinely’ in operation by 2028.

Manta M4 has a thermal onboard system to detect and warn of birds and other dangers in the air and a system emitting ultrasonic sounds to scare away sharks that may be lurking in the water beneath

Manta M4 has a thermal onboard system to detect and warn of birds and other dangers in the air and a system emitting ultrasonic sounds to scare away sharks that may be lurking in the water beneath

Developer SimTechLabs prices the craft at $300,000 for one. Ten are set to go on sale

Developer SimTechLabs prices the craft at $300,000 for one. Ten are set to go on sale

The former head of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Sergio Cecutta and who resigned in 2023, said at the time that one of his major achievements was fast-tracking progress to get electric airtaxis into the skies.

Another UFO-like craft was also revealed at CES — called the ‘Invo Moon’ — that could carry up to three passengers through US skies. 

And Toyota debuted its Joby aircraft which is expected to go on sale later this year.



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